Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1915 — AMERICA’S DEBT TO IRELAND [ARTICLE]

AMERICA’S DEBT TO IRELAND

i r Immigrants Have Wrought Well in the Wonderful Development of Their Adopted Land. Out of Europe, for more than two centuries there have been flowing streams of humanity, always hastening, like the affluents of some mighty river, toward the west. And for more than one century at least those who earliest found their place in this oncew'elcoming continent have been staring with open or covert contempt at those who have followed them. | Until now, when our national intelligence has broadened beyond the purblind, narrow vision that could see in an immigrant only his ignorance, his poverty and the uncouthness which, in the land he has deserted, may be the best, approved mode of living for people of his class. We are looking at the essentials now —at the brain and the brawn, the health and the courage; at the race, the national history, the adaptiveness —of all this raw material for citizenry. These latest comers are reaping the fruits of the lessons we have learned while seeing their forerunners emerge from the poverty and want that made ; them reproaches in our eyes and, by I their own inherent strength, rise to the i full level of American skill, energy and ' —what has always been their conspi- j cuous trait—patriotism. No single stream that trickled first and then came in flood had to fight its way more hardily here than the immigrants who hailed from Ireland; and if one were to cast everywhere to find immigrants and their descendants who have most potently wrought for

the development of the nation, hewould see none more numerous, morestrong and—final verdict of the land oF their adoption—more respected than those very Irish. The United States, for them, owes England a debt which neither nation may ever acknowledge; but the time is not far away w ; hen England seems fated to realize the enormity of her loss and the vastness of America’s gain.